durhamrcgion.com-. page 12 ♦ THE CANADIAN STATESMAN ♦ JULY 27,2005 tEljC Canabtfllt Statesman ♦ durhamregion.com Brian McNair Green Gaels and Akwesasne to play fifth and Follow deciding game me, won’t BY BRAD KELLY you, to Sports Editor AKWESASNE - The battle will con­ tinue. mmm an NHL In a series that has had just about every­ m thing one could imagine through four picket games, there will be a fifth and decid­ ing game to determine who advances in the East Conference semifinal series line between the Clarington Green Gaels and Akwesasne Lightning. Please allow me to introduce myself. Akwesasne ensured as much Monday I’m not a man of wealth and taste, like night on their home floor, prevailing those who finallyconsummated a deal to 15-14 in double overtime to force Game bring the National Hockey League back 5, Thursday at 8 p.m. in Bowmanville at to life for next season. the Garnet B. Rickard Recreation Com ­ But 1 sure have endured moments of plex. doubt and pain over the past year or so. “(Akwesasne) was very well prepared What’s certain is this: I have no sym­ and we didn’t step off the bus very well,” pathy for,the devils who kept the game said general manager Doug Luey of on ice— or, more accurately I suppose, how tilings unfolded Monday night in a MW off ice - and I plan on doing something replay of Game 2 of the series that the about it. Green Gaels protested, and won, over a So back to the introduction. botched call on goaltender Joel Weber’s I’m offering up my services as the equipment. chief negotiator for you, the fans. But that sluggishness described by Here’s my proposal to Messrs. Belt- Luey only applied early on, as the Green man and Goodenow: Gaels fell behind 7-0 before scoring late 1) a minimum 10 per cent reduction in in the first to finish the period down 7-1. ticket prices, across the board; From that point on, though the Green 2) free parking for a year, half' price Gaels appeared headed for a certainloss, thereafter; they rebounded and twice scored in the 3) a 60 per cent reduction in beer pric ­ dying seconds of a period to prolong the es, which by my estimation would leave game. the markup at about 1,110 per cent; • “There is no way I can be critical of 4 ) oh, what they heck, 60 per cent thé players. There are some games that reduction on all food and beverages; are character building wins, but this was " 5) 30 minutes of free autograph time a Character building loss. They came Ü 1 n with a different player on each team fol ­ back time after time and it seemed for a A.J. GroenfThe Canadian Statesman . : i0'< lowing every game; while that it was destiny and we were riot James Barton (left), of the Clarington Green Gaels and Adam Delormier of the Akwesasne Lightning were 6) the allowance to call players spoiled going to lose,” said Luey. - -.... involved in a punchup during Friday’s game between the teams in the Jr. B East Conférence semifinal. .A fifth and ^ After clawing their way , back into the brats without, having to kiss Jeremy deciding game in the series will be played in Bowmanville on Thursday at 8 p.m. Roenick’s you-know-what. game during a dominating second period There you have it. No negotiations. in which they oritscored Akwesasne 7-2 Luey of his team’s upbeat mindset after ,; Take it or we walk. to trail by one at 9-8, the Green Gaels the loss. “They could have folded down,,j It’s time to show everyone involved needed a Steve Hutchins goal with just Going the distance 7-0 but didn’t and came back. The mood who really holds the reins of power here. six seconds remaining in regulation time East Conference semifinal (best-of-five) wasn’t sombre by any means.” r.y No fans, no revenue. If you need proof, to square thé game at 11-11 after three THE SCOOP - The leading scorer,,; just watch how it’ll work in Nashville periods. Garnet for the Green Gaels on Monday was.,, . this season. More heroics would follow in the first Green Gaels 4 at Akwesasne 6 • Shane Sargent, who scored once and,,, Unfortunately; I sense solidarity is overtime period, played to a full 10 min­ Game 2 added seven , helpers. Steve Hutchins,,, already waning. Listening to the sports utes, as Justin Fox knotted the game at Akwesasne 6 at Green Gaels 8 Phil Mcllhone and Justin Fox had talk- shows, it seems interest reached a 14-14 with just three seconds left to play, Game 3 Akwesasne 7 at Green Gaels 9 OT three goals each...The game was a rela- /; fever pitch about 10 minutes/ after the sending the game into a sudden-death Game 4 tively tame affair compared to the two ;r new deal was announced. second overtime. After both teams had Green Gaels 14 at Akwesasne 15 20T previous, with Akwesasne tagged foty, I must admit, as - alas -- a lifelong a couple of chances to close the'game Em. ■10 Game 5 22 penalty minutes and the Green Gaels,f, Leafs’ diehard, I’m getting caught up in out, Akwesasne’s Andrew Lazore potted Thursday at Bowmanville, 8 p.m. just 14... Brandon McFarlane, obtained,, all the talk. his fourth goal of the night just over four late in the season from Sarnia, is ques­ As ridiculous as some of those talk minutes in to end the marathon, tying the two, ” he said of making the long trek tionable for Thursday’s game, injured^ show callers, I have formulated in my best-of-five series at two games apiece. Luey is hopeful home floor advantage during Friday’s game in Bowmanville...,,, mind the roster for the Blue and White The goal helped Akwesasne avoid will provide an edge. from near Cornwall. The winner gets the Oakville Buzz in the 4 next season, one that includes the Whit­ elimination, setting the stage for Thurs­ “It’s hard for anyone to sit on a bus for “The attitude on the bus . ride home was good. Nobody was sulking,” added East conference final. • iiE by trio of Joe Nieuwendyk, Gary Rob ­ day’s winner-take-all showdown, where four hours and then go out and run for erts and Adam Foote (we’ll trade for the Primeau brothers later), defence- man Scott Niedermayer, winger Markus Naslund and centre Peter Forsberg. And, moving on up to yes, right up until 4:06 p.m. Friday, I was certain Toronto would win the Sidney sweepstakes. and brother Jeff were just a few of his,;, Here’s where I slap myself. Tops $200,000 many vocal fans. :- iV Evenif the hockey gods do smile down . “I would say Sunday was the most stress-4 , in such a way, I won’t be so easily lured mark with win at ful day I’ve ever had, ” said father Dave,,;- back after what they’ve put us through. who is the executive director of the Golf Never mind the fact that I haven’t Nationwide Tour Association of Ontario. “I don’t think I had,, handed over a red penny to see the Leafs stop in Cambridge control of my emotions.” since they moved to the Air Canada Cen­ Regardless, the younger Mills was appro-,,! tre, Till going on strike. BY BRIAN MCNAIR ciative of the support. I urge everyone to follow. Staff Editor “It definitely made it special,” says Mills,;,, After all, they’ve stolen many a man’s who now lives in Indiana, Pennsylvania^ soul and faith, “It was just a pretty awesome feeling.” CAMBRIDGE - If Jon Mills was ner­ Mills has steadily been heading toward; v vous about finishing off his first Nation­ King Of The Castle this pinnacle. A first-team all-American iiy.J wide Tour victory Sunday, you would his final year at Kent State University in.., rebounds never have known it from his final drive. But it wasn’t until lie nailed that shot 2001, he won his first professional event on the Canadian Tour in 2003, whep lie,, - Despite sky­ some 350 yards right down the pipe that BOWMANVILLE went on to become the first Canadian since,;, rocketing summer temperatures, the the 27-year-old Oshawa native knew Mike Weir to win the Order of Merit. 0, Bowmanville King Of The Castle soc ­ for certain he’d won the Canadian PGA Last year, Mills was in the hunt for a lop T cer team had some excellent play in Championship and virtually guaranteed 20 finish until a late-season stumble saw the Darlington Soccer League, mov ­ himself a spot on the PGA Tour for next him finish in 49th with $120,690. season. ing ever closer to top spot in the Pee- He has been much more consistent this wee girls’ division. “It put me in a position where I really year, making 10 of 15 cuts and finishing^ Starting the season with a win couldn’t go wrong,” recalls Mills, who in the top -10 six times, including a tie fon!j paired the long par-4 hole and finished and a loss, King of the Castle has second place at the BellSouth Panama jj] three strokes ahead of runner-up Ken Duke rattled off a six-game unbeaten streak Championship to open the season. j'j at the Whistle Bear Golf Club in Cam­ that culminated in a recent 5-2 win “My development has been steady.